


Shine

by svana_vrika



Category: Free!
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, FreeVDay2019, M/M, sfw, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 13:51:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17788604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/svana_vrika
Summary: Asahi had never thought he cared aboutromance and stuffuntil an unexpected meeting made him realize that he did.





	Shine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SamCyberCat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/gifts).



> This story's main pairing is Asahi and Ikuya. Makoto and Haruka are a side pairing in this fic. 
> 
> **Disclaimer** This story is an original work of fan-fiction. The Free! franchise and its characters, props and settings are the intellectual property of Masahiro Yokotani, Kyoto Animation and Animation Do. I just borrowed them for a few thousand words of entertainment. No copyright infringements are intended, and I will make no profit from their use. Work is unbetaed. All mistakes are my own 
> 
> Written for the Tumblr "FreeVDay2019" challenge, for @SamCyberCat-- @TheScruffyCat on Twitter. Thank you so much for your prompts and for giving me the chance to play with these boys. I'm completely enamored of them! ♥

_”Now arriving: Shinjuku-sanchome Station.”_

Asahi looked up from his phone when the announcement came through and then he quickly pocketed the device. The car was crammed, even more so than what it usually was when he’d come in to Shinjuku, and the last thing he needed was to have his phone jostled from his hand. More than likely, it would end up trampled, and he’d end up pissed—especially since he wasn’t overly enthused about being there in the first place. The people aspect didn’t bother him so much, but he was most definitely _not_ a shopper, something which his sister and—albeit more passively—Makoto frequently bemoaned. Asahi snorted in amusement as he considered which of them might have the larger wardrobe. Not that it bothered him. Everyone had their likes, dislikes, and quirks. If Makoto wanted to walk around wearing whatever caught his eye from the fashion magazines Asahi _knew_ he and Akane swapped, more power to him. Asahi knew what he looked, and felt, good in; it didn’t matter to him if he cycled through the same set of outfits every couple of weeks. He had more important things to budget for. His stipend from his sports recommendation didn’t allow for much at all beyond the necessities and, while Asahi knew he was good, he also knew he wasn’t a prodigy like Haru or Ikuya and that he’d have to work—and spend—a little bit more to make his opportunities happen. 

The train lurched to its stop and Asahi let go of the strap and slipped into the group of people crowding out. His lips curved up, mind still lingering on his previous thought. He’d been thrilled when Hidaka had offered him the recommendation; all he’d wanted to do since he’d been a boy was swim. But the better part of it was how it had brought the gang, _his_ gang, from Iwatobi back together. He’d always kept his friends, no matter how many times he’d moved, but there was something about this particular group of guys that had always held his heart and thoughts more strongly than the rest. Tawny eyes and blue-black hair flashed through his mind from his memories, and Asahi softly snorted. He had no question why. He cared for them all, and Kisumi was the best friend a guy could have. But the largest part of that special place in his heart and mind was held by Ikuya. 

Asahi could still remember the disbelief he’d felt so many years back when his dad had told him they were moving again. It hadn’t been anything new to him, but the utterly gutted feeling had been. It had all happened so fast, the announcement, the move, and his parents had been so harried that they’d not had time to listen to him as he’d begged them to wait, had tried to tell them about the promise he’d made that he wouldn’t leave again. And that he’d had no choice _but_ to leave before Ikuya had come back from the States had made it worse. It hadn’t mattered that Makoto had promised to tell Ikuya, to apologize to Ikuya for him. And Asahi had carried that guilt so strongly that he’d never been able to send a single letter on to Ikuya, keeping them, instead, in a small stack that, to this day, sat in the bottom drawer of his desk, despite the years that had passed and the number of moves he’d made since. 

As time had passed, those feelings had faded: both the guilt, and the total crush he’d had on Ikuya. But they’d never quite left him either. They’d always been there, ready to come forward whenever something would draw Ikuya or Iwatobi to his mind, and whenever he’d do something stupid, the voice in his head had always been Ikuya’s, calling him _baka_ like only Ikuya ever had. Asahi just hadn’t realized how strong of a hold they’d still had until the day he and Haru had swum for the newcomer’s tournament and Haru had seen Ikuya. Just that single breath of Ikuya’s name had made it all rush forward again, and Asahi had been off, chasing Ikuya down, regardless of anyone else, like he had when he’d taken off after Ikuya from the classroom so many years back. 

Asahi’s brow furrowed slightly. The weeks that had followed had been difficult. There had been so much he’d wanted to say, to apologize for, but beyond that, he’d just wanted to _see_ Ikuya; to hear his voice, see the light and emotion shift through those pretty eyes, to talk to him. And, when it had finally happened, it had been like a dream, a totally cheesy dream: eyes meeting, Asahi dropping his book from the shock of it, everything. He huffed a laugh as he moved across the street with the rest of the crowd when the light changed. He’d never given a crap about romance and stuff, but it had been a pretty perfect moment, even if the conversation that had followed had hurt his heart. A different smile rose on his lips then. Thank god Haru had been there and had figured out what had needed done to bring Ikuya back to them. Asahi’s mouth took on a wry curve. And thank god, too, that Tono had stopped running interference. Not that he could blame the guy, Asahi supposed. God knew he was plenty protective of Ikuya himself. He always had been. 

“Hey kid, either move or get out of the way!” 

Asahi started, jerked his head to his right, then sheepishly muttered an apology to the old man before hurrying across the street. Once he had, he looked around and then he mentally facepalmed. He was now two blocks over from where he’d intended because he’d been so lost in his head that he’d just followed the crowd—and what a crowd it was! Shinjuku was always busy, but it was even worse than usual, and he sighed when he thought about having to backtrack to _Isetan_ through the mega throng of people. Nonetheless, turn around he did. Akane and Kon were letting him stay for free, and Asahi certainly didn’t mind compensating for his room and board by running errands or babysitting Tsukushi when he could. 

Once he could do so without pissing someone else off, Asahi turned and backtracked to the corner. The light changed and he hurried across and then made his turn to the right, only to have to stop abruptly to avoid running into a small group of people who’d come to a halt—likely because of whomever was yelling in front of them. Apparently, Asahi hadn’t been the only one in his head if the guy’s bitching was anything to go by; it was amusing to him—until he heard the fired back response, and then his eyes went wide and, with a rushed apology, he pushed himself through the line in front of him. 

“—you weren’t watching where you were going!” Ikuya continued heatedly, glaring fearlessly up at the blond brickhouse who, somehow, had obviously sent Ikuya into the haphazard sprawl on the sidewalk. Said brickhouse took a menacing step forward when Ikuya didn’t back down and, eyes blazing and fingers curling inward with the tension that zinged through him, Asahi moved as well before he even realized he was doing it. When Ikuya _still_ didn’t kowtow, the blond’s scowl faded to a sort of confused, wary frown and then he just turned and stalked away. “Moron,” Asahi heard Ikuya mutter as Asahi closed the distance between them and then stooped to pick up one of the packages that had skittered across the ground from Ikuya’s bag. “Leav—Asahi!” 

Asahi grinned when Ikuya’s surprise cut through his angry blurt. “Hey. You okay?” he asked as the handful of people who had gathered around the incident dissipated. “Not that you’re that fragile or anything,” he rushed as Ikuya pushed himself to his knees and started gathering the items in his reach. “But that guy made Makoto look small.” 

“That guy was a jackass,” Ikuya retorted tartly, angry sparks returning to his eyes, but then he glanced up at Asahi and offered a smile which brought a different light to his gaze. “But yeah, I’m fine. Thanks, Asahi.” After a moment, Ikuya huffed a laugh and then leaned forward and grabbed the package Asahi was holding. 

Asahi blinked, only realizing then that Ikuya’d had his hand out, and he gave a sheepish chuckle, his face warming slightly. “Sorry,” he offered, feeling stupid that he’d been that obviously captivated, but then he caught the hint of color in Ikuya’s cheek. Maybe it hadn’t been a bad thing though, he thought, stomach lightly flipping. 

“Asahi!” 

“Sorry, what?” he asked when Ikuya jolted him from his thoughts again, and Ikuya rolled his eyes, but not before Asahi had caught the soft amusement that had shone there. 

“I said, grab the one behind you before someone steps on it, ne? Honestly,” Ikuya tacked on in a mutter as he looked away, but his lips were curved, and Asahi grinned. 

“Sure thing.” He pivoted to his right at his waist and snagged it, not thinking much about the Morozoff label he noticed on it as he handed it off. “There you go.” Asahi stood as Ikuya slipped the box into his bag and then he offered Ikuya a hand up, a bit of a grin returning when, after a second’s hesitation, Ikuya reached for it. His brow furrowed in concern again as Ikuya’s hand slipped into his. “You’re freezing!”

“It’s February, baka Asahi,” Ikuya retorted, but Asahi didn’t pay any mind; after a second or two of looking around, he flipped his hand to grip Ikuya’s better and then lightly tugged. 

“Come on.” 

“Wait, whe—Asahi!” Asahi looked down and to his right when, with an impatient tug, Ikuya pulled his hand free. “Where are we going?” he asked, looking up at him curiously, cheeks lightly flushed, and Asahi grinned then turned his gaze forward and nodded kitty-corner toward _Coffee Seibu_ , across the street. 

“There. You can wash your hands up and we’ll get something hot to drink.” 

“Wash—my hands aren’t—oh.” Asahi snickered at the rather flat end of Ikuya’s protesting. “Well, yours are dirty, too!” Ikuya pointed out petulantly a second later, but Asahi just laughed again. 

“Only ‘cause I was holding yours,” he returned with a grin, which widened when Ikuya blushed again, snapped his jaw shut and looked away. Asahi’s expression softened when, even after a few seconds, Ikuya wouldn’t look back at him. He really was too damned cute, Ikuya, and Asahi was as enamored by it as he’d always been. Perhaps even more so, he thought just a little bit giddily when his stomach flipped again with the realization that Ikuya had neither begged off nor scolded him for the impetuousness _or_ the flirting, but that he was willingly coming with him. 

Once they’d crossed the street, Asahi caught the door for Ikuya. His eyes went wide as Ikuya paused just at the threshold. There wasn’t any need to ask why Ikuya had stopped. The shop was packed, every table taken and the line almost to the door. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath, then he glanced down at Ikuya; smiled when Ikuya looked up at him. “Might as well,” he answered the unspoken question. “If nothing else, we’ll have something warm while we’re waiting for transport, ne?” 

“Mm.” 

“Here. Let me take your bag so you can get in line for the washroom.” Asahi didn’t bother to ask what Ikuya would want. That line was considerably shorter and Asahi knew that Ikuya would be back in time to order. 

“Where’s yours?” 

“Hm?” 

“Your bag?” Ikuya rolled his eyes when Asahi continued to blankly stare. “You said we’d have something warm while _we_ wait for transport.” Asahi felt his face get warm and Ikuya’s brow arched. “You seriously forgot about your shopping?”

“No! Fine,” he amended a second later when Ikuya’s brow merely climbed higher. “I did. But it’s your fault, Ikuya!” 

“What?” 

“You going to move forward or what?” 

Ikuya looked forward as Asahi looked behind him; both apologized to the irked businessman behind them, and then they closed the distance between themselves and the woman in front of Ikuya. “How is it my fault?” Ikuya demanded, and then his eyes flashed. “If you seriously think I needed _saving_ —"

“No! No,” Asahi repeated more quietly, ignoring the looks being tossed in his direction, though he was well aware of them. “I’ve never thought that, Ikuya. I know you can take care of yourself.” Ikuya just arched his brow again and, after a second, Asahi huffed softly. “You distracted me. That’s why it’s your fault. What?” he demanded a moment later when Ikuya continued to just look at him. 

“Nothing.” Ikuya looked forward again, then turned and thrusted his bag into Asahi’s hand and stalked off, but not before Asahi saw the color in his cheeks and the curve to his lips. 

By the time Ikuya returned and Asahi took his turn to clean up, there were only a couple of people ahead of them in the line and, in less than ten minutes, they had their drinks and were outside again. “You didn’t have to get mine, you know,” Asahi said as they made their way to the bus stop just past the corner. He smiled down at Ikuya warmly. “But thanks.” 

Ikuya shrugged, his gaze drifting to a point in front of him. “It’s nothing. Besides, I’m the one who distracted you from whatever you came in to do, so I figured I owed you.” 

“Oi. Ikuya, hey—” Asahi reached for Ikuya’s shoulder only to drop his hand and snort in amusement when he realized then that Ikuya was silently laughing. “You’re a brat, you know that, right?” he demanded pertly. Ikuya made a noncommittal sound and then glanced at him sidelong, and for a second, Asahi forgot how to breathe. 

The arrival of the bus kicked Asahi’s brain back into gear and, with a blink, he stepped forward after Ikuya, only to give him a questioning look when Ikuya grabbed his arm, tugged him out of line and let the people behind them go ahead. “Your shopping, baka Asahi!” Ikuya reminded with a soft huff of laughter and slightly pinked cheeks, and then he physically spun Asahi in the opposite direction and gave him a gentle shove. By the time Asahi turned back around, the door was closing on the bus; for a second or two, he just stood stupidly and watched it pull away, and then he scrambled to pull his phone out of his pocket. 

//You’ll be at Nee-chan’s tomorrow, yeah?//

Asahi softly swore when he saw the time after hitting send; making sure the volume was up on his phone, he dropped it into his pocket and hurried back toward _Isetan_. His heart skipped when, in less than a minute, he heard the text alert go off, and then it sped when, after pulling his phone back out, he saw it was, indeed, Ikuya’s alert. _Yeah,_ was all the message said, but that was more than enough and Asahi’s happiness bubbled up into a soft laugh as he put his phone back into his pocket again. It was ridiculous, really. He’d just randomly bumped into a friend while they’d been shopping. They’d bickered and teased and talked, just like always; nothing between them had changed. But he felt like everything had.

Asahi’s elation lingered through his errand. Not even the absolute madhouse of _Isetan_ or the rushed and crowded trip home could dampen his mood. He was still smiling when he came in through the private entrance at the back of _Marron_ and called out to Akane that he was there. 

“Took you long enough,” she returned as she came through from the front. “But I guess I can’t be surprised.” Her brow arched then as she leaned against the door frame. “Then again, you’re smiling, so maybe it wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it’d be.” Akane came forward then and, nudging Asahi’s arm up, she waited until he had hold of the hanger and then she unzipped the garment bag. “Ohh.” She lightly ran her fingers down the front of the suit. “Kon’s going to look amazing in this.” Akane glanced up at Asahi and smiled. “Thanks again for taking Tsukushi Saturday night so we can go out—and for running for this tonight.” 

“No worries.” He tipped his head slightly as Akane did the bag back up. “Why’d you think Shinjuku would be bad tonight? I mean it was, but… What?” he demanded when Akane tipped her head up and gave him an incredulous look. 

“Really?” She closed her eyes and gave a slight shake of her head when Asahi just continued to stare. “It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, Asahi.” Asahi’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly; Akane laughed and shook her head. “You really are hopeless.” 

“Am not,” Asahi sputtered. “I’ve just been wrapped up with swim and school and stuff!” 

“Then you have to be the _least_ observant man on the planet,” she countered. “I’m only ever here or at the market and it’s all I’ve heard about, and seen, for the past month. I _know_ it’s got to be all over the place on campus!” Openly laughing at him now, Akane went back up front and, after a second or two, Asahi’s shoulders slumped slightly and he turned toward the staircase that would take him up to the living quarters above the café. He might not have realized it was closing in on Valentine’s day, but he was observant enough, he thought with a humorless snort as he recalled the black square box of Morozoff chocolates that he’d handed to Ikuya earlier.

* * *

“Asahi. Asahi!” 

Asahi rubbed at his temple from where his fingers rested against it and then dropped his hand heavily to the desk. “What?” he called back down the stairs.

“Kon just came in with the mail; there’s something for you.” 

Asahi managed to bite back that _so_ that flew to his lips. “I’ll get it later, Nee-chan! I’m studying!” He sighed in relief when nothing came after, then turned his attention back to his book, only to snort softly and drop back against the back of his chair a second later. Studying. Right. Not for lack of trying, but he wasn’t getting a damned thing done with how his mind wouldn’t stay focused. It was stupid, and it irritated him. It wasn’t as if he was _just suddenly_ dealing with these feelings. And it hadn’t been the first time he’d been alone with Ikuya since they’d talked at the College Championships. But something about yesterday had made it _all_ feel new. Ikuya had always been a blusher and Asahi had always enjoyed put it there. He’d liked the way Ikuya wore it even when they’d been boys. They’d always bantered back and forth; there hadn’t been anything new in that… Maybe it had been the timing of everything: how he’d been thinking about Ikuya and then had, on some subconscious level, been drawn to him through all those people. Maybe it was because of how, _despite_ all those people, the world had seemed to shrink to just the two of them while they’d been together. Asahi blinked and then huffed a humorless laugh. And maybe he gave more of a crap about the romance stuff after all, he thought wryly before pushing the unsettling thoughts away to try and concentrate on his studying again. 

A couple of hours later, Akane called up for him again, this time to let him know that Makoto and Haru were there. Grabbing the two books for the classes that the six of them had _somewhat_ in common, Asahi headed downstairs. His features softened when, as he came out behind the counter, he saw Makoto help Haru with his coat and Haru give Makoto a look that _finally_ matched the ones Makoto had been giving Haru since they’d been boys. Asahi didn’t doubt for a minute that Haruka had always felt the same, but it warmed him that he’d opened up enough, at least around them, to show it. That sensation was immediately followed by an ache that hadn’t been there before and, instead of busting out to greet them like usually did, Asahi set his books down, grabbed a tray and began putting together the water glasses he knew everyone always started out with as he told himself it wasn’t Makoto’s and Haruka’s fault they’d ended up with their first loves and Asahi hadn’t. A rush of heat flooded into Asahi’s face and his brow creased slightly as he considered what he’d just thought. Maybe that’s what the difference had been yesterday: as a grown man he’d, on some level, realized what those feelings he’d carried with him since boyhood really were, and the perfection of how everything yesterday had happened had pulled them forward.

“…Asahi!” Startled, Asahi looked over to his right, and then swore as he became cognizant of how soaked his cuff was as Akane grabbed the bar gun from him to stop the water flow. “Where are you even at?” she scolded as she took the glass next and then flung a bar mop at him after setting it down. Asahi awkwardly shrugged as he began to clean up the mess on the counter and then his gaze jerked up when the door opened again. His lips curved up softly despite himself. It was Ikuya—and Hiyori, of course, but he wasn’t really paying attention to that. 

“Asahi…” 

The sudden softness in Akane’s voice drew his gaze back and heat rushed into his face when he saw her expression. “I’m gonna run upstairs and change,” he mumbled, and he shoved the bar mop into her hand and turned away. 

Once he was upstairs, Asahi tugged his shirt off as he stalked into his room. He did take the time to drape it over his chair—no sense in making Akane wash something he’d only had on for a few hours because of his idiocy—and then he went to his closet and grabbed the hoodie that was at the top of the folded stack. He was being stupid, he berated himself as he tugged it on. His want was making him imagine things that simply hadn’t been there. _Those chocolates were,_ his mind unhelpfully supplied, and Asahi scowled as he stepped into the bathroom to try and fix the tousle of his hair. It wasn’t him after all, he decided. It was the stupidity of Valentine’s Day, and he pointedly ignored his brain when it tried to remind him that he hadn’t even realized that until after his run-in with Ikuya yesterday. 

Akane was servicing the table when he went back down and, quietly excusing himself around her, he took his usual chair. A brow arched when he realized that Kisumi’s seat was still empty, and then he snorted and shook his head. “We’ve been doing this for how long now, and he _still_ can’t be on time?” he groused, but he was actually glad for it as it gave him something _normal_ to focus on.

Makoto laughed. “Asahi! He’s been on time for the past several weeks!” 

Asahi murmured his thanks to Akane when she handed him his water, then looked at Makoto and smiled. “Yeah, I suppose.” 

“His club’s likely running a little late because it’s Valentine’s Day,” Makoto continued.

Asahi subtly twitched, then shrugged as he took a sip from his glass. “Yeah, maybe.” His brow arched slightly when he suddenly found himself talking to Makoto’s shoulder, and then he about rolled his eyes when Makoto straightened with a box of chocolates he’d pulled from his bag. 

“Happy Valentines, everyone,” Makoto said with a smile as he opened it and set it on the table between them. 

“Morozoffs!”

_Of course they were,_ Asahi thought dourly beneath Hiyori’s voice. Because the universe obviously hated him right now for some reason. 

“—box Ikuya gave me…”

Asahi’s gut clenched. He shouldn’t be surprised. He knew that. But knowing that Ikuya’s chocolates had gone to Hiyori just made it worse. His lips twitched slightly and, to keep the scowl from rising, Asahi brought his glass to his mouth again. As he tipped it, he caught a glimpse of Ikuya to his left. Their gazes met for a second and then Ikuya turned his away. Asahi swallowed and lowered his glass. Something had been there, something that, even though he couldn’t identify it, had hurt, and he reached over to lightly touch Ikuya’s arm. “Oi—” The door opened as Ikuya slid his arm out of Asahi’s reach and Asahi blinked, then withdrew his hand, wondering, hoping, that it had just been the timing. 

“Hi, everyone!” 

Asahi looked up when he heard Kisumi’s greeting; was grateful for the slide back into normalcy that it brought. “It’s about time,” he groused as per his norm, and then his brows arched as Kisumi came fully into view. “What’s all that?” he asked curiously when he saw the myriad boxes in Kisumi’s arms. 

Kisumi laughed awkwardly and Asahi’s brows climbed higher; he could just about see Kisumi’s hand going through his hair like he would when he was embarrassed, even though—right now—his arms were too full to do it. “Chocolate,” he said as he came over and—after Hiyori moved his books to make room—set his load on the corner of the table. “Oops!” Kisumi stooped to scoop up a small box as it tipped to the floor from the top. “There. It’s not funny, Makoto!” Kisumi declared when Makoto burst out laughing.

“Is all of that _honmei_?” Hiyori asked dubiously. Kisumi nodded and Makoto laughed again. 

“It’s because you’re so friendly to everyone, Kisumi,” he teased, and Kisumi pouted. 

“I’m no more friendly than you!” he gave back as he slid past Ikuya to take his usual chair. “How many did you get, Makoto?” 

“Just Haru’s.” 

“But he turned away six.” 

Asahi laughed. He couldn’t help it. The response was typical Haru. He’d always been jealous of anyone who’d tried to cozy up to Makoto, but he wouldn’t have anyone thinking that Makoto was less than anyone else—especially, for some reason, Kisumi. But that wasn’t the reason the smile lingered after. Asahi’d been too lost in his head to even think about the whole handmade thing, but the box that Ikuya had given Hiyori had been purchased. 

Akane came to the table then and joined the others in ribbing Kisumi as she took their orders. On the surface, everything seemed fine, and Asahi did feel lighter, but he couldn’t forget that look in Ikuya’s eyes that had made him so sad, or how Ikuya had pulled his arm away from his touch. Asahi had always been the most tactile among them and, eventually, even Haru had come to accept it. Ikuya’s behavior didn’t make sense, and it bothered him, as did the way that Ikuya was even quieter than usual during the study session. It reminded Asahi of how Ikuya had been before he’d swum the IM with Haru, and Asahi didn’t like that. 

At one point during the session, Asahi felt the weight of someone staring. He glanced up from his book and his brow arched when he saw Hiyori’s calculating look. He lifted his gaze fully when Hiyori didn’t look away, Asahi’s brow arching in silent askance, but Hiyori just pursed his lips and then dropped his eyes back to his page. _Whatever,_ Asahi thought, but then his brow furrowed and he quietly sighed. Intended or not, he felt more than ever now like he’d messed something up with Ikuya, but he had no clue as to what. 

Their study session broke a short time after. Ikuya did say goodbye to him, but it was subdued, and Asahi wondered if it had only been offered because Makoto and Haru hadn’t left yet. After a moment or two of staring at the door, Asahi made a soft, impatient sound in the back of his throat and, scowling softly, pivoted on his heel. His brow arched when he saw Akane at the corner of the counter, holding a package in his direction. “What’s that?” he asked as he came forward. 

“I told you earlier something had come in the post for you. Don’t you remember?” 

“Oh yeah.” Ignoring how Akane rolled her eyes, he closed the distance and then took it from her and tore open the seam of the mailer. His brow creased slightly as his fingers came into contact with something metallic and then they arched when, as he pulled it out, he saw the cheerful monkey-face pattern across the top of the slim, square tin. Swallowing lightly against a weird flutter in his stomach, he opened the lid and then, after a blink, laughed softly as he looked at the single layer of barrel and banana-shaped chocolates, obviously handmade. The monkey motif could have been any one of his Iwatobi friends but, combined with the candies, there was only one person in the world this could have come from. 

“Ikuya-kun?” Asahi looked up and over at Akane in surprise. “I figured. After the way your eyes lit when he came in, he’d be the only one to put that doofy smile on your face,” she teased with a light smirk before laying a gentle hand to his forearm. “Good for you, Asahi.” 

“Yeah, but…” Asahi chewed his lip for a second and then quietly told Akane about the things he’d observed that evening. “Damn it, I wish I would have come down when you called,” he muttered after. “He probably thinks I blew these off and am totally not interested.” He glanced down at the chocolates again and then, after a second, his gaze jumped back up to Akane’s. “What’s it take to make these?”

“You want to make chocolate. At—” Akane paused, glanced at the clock, looked back. “—9:15 at night? Asahi!” Akane sighed when Asahi’s gaze didn’t waver, and then after another moment, she rolled her eyes upward and gave a slight shake of her head. “Fine. I don’t have the stuff for candy, but cupcakes should do just fine. I can talk you through what to do from the counter.

* * *

Asahi shifted slightly and then grimaced as the cold from the concrete facing instantly made itself known through his coat and clothing beneath again. Huffing softly, he pushed his sleeve up and glanced at his watch. He’d only been there ten minutes and god only knew how long he had left to wait, but he hadn’t been able to think of a better idea. Granted, he knew Ikuya’s schedule now, but he was still wary from the games Hiyori had played earlier in the year and, from how Hiyori had looked at him the night before, Asahi wouldn’t be surprised if he’d decided to run interference again. At least this way—well, Ikuya had to come home sometime, and so long as he got back home in time to watch Tsukushi tomorrow for Akane and Kon, he had all the time in the world, Asahi thought wryly. 

A yawn loomed and Asahi briefly pulled his hand from his pocket to cover it, then let his eyes fall shut as he slid his hand back into the relative warmth. The cupcakes, thanks to Akane’s help, hadn’t taken too long or turned out too terrible, but he’d made a hell of a mess and the clean up had taken him until after 11—and he’d still had studying to do. It was probably a good thing though, he thought. At least he’d been tired to the point where he’d not laid there all night thinking. No, his brain had been gracious enough to at least wait until after am practice and during class for that. Fortunately, it was one of the ones he was doing fairly decently in and he’d only had one more class, having kept his Friday schedule deliberately light. After that, he’d been able to lose himself in his training routine until the scheduled team practice that afternoon. 

After several more minutes passed, Asahi’s shoulders started to ache from the chill. Scowling slightly, he scooted down the wall without opening his eyes and then, once he was seated, he leaned forward, bringing his arms up to rest on his knees, and then laying his head on his arms. _Better._ At least, until he couldn’t feel his ass anymore, he wryly thought. 

“…Asahi. Asahi!” The second call came with a gentle shake and Asahi opened his eyes and lifted his head. 

“’kuya?” He blinked, then looked past Ikuya to gauge how much daylight was left—and then up when he saw a second pair of legs. Hiyori. Asahi’s lips briefly pressed and then, with a silent sigh, he pushed himself up, wincing as the numbness prickled through his ass and thighs. “Time’s it?”

“Almost seven. How long have you been here?” Ikuya asked after shooting Hiyori a look to silence him when Hiyori started to answer Asahi for him. 

“Mmm… since five-thirty or so?” 

“Why?” 

“Hiyori.”

“I opened your package,” Asahi blurted over the affectionate exasperation in Ikuya’s voice. Ikuya looked back at Asahi, studied him for a long moment and then glanced over at Hiyori again. 

Hiyori gave a small smile. “I’ll see you at morning practice,” he said simply, and then he turned away and headed back around the corner, toward the stairs, as Ikuya took his keys from his pocket.

“Tch. Get inside before you get any colder, baka Asahi,” Ikuya snapped when Asahi just stood there after Ikuya opened the door. 

“Right. Sorry.” Asahi quickly followed Ikuya in, then sighed in pleasure from the warmth that flooded over him. 

“Sit,” Ikuya instructed after slipping off his shoes. Asahi nodded and quickly toed off his own, then padded over to Ikuya’s couch. “Coffee or tea?” 

“Coffee. Please,” he tacked on, and he rubbed his hands against his thighs, trying to warm both up. He hadn’t realized just how cold he was until he’d come inside. 

“You really are an idiot.” Asahi half-turned on the sofa so that he could look at Ikuya in question. “You had no idea how long I’d be; what would you have done if I would have had plans?” 

“Waited,” Asahi said with a shrug. Ikuya’s mouth fell open slightly, then he closed it; his lips parted again as if he was going to say something and then they closed again. Asahi smiled, it widening slightly when he caught the hint of color in Ikuya’s cheeks, and that knot he’d carried in his gut since the night before loosened a bit as he turned back around and let Ikuya finish with the coffee. 

Once he heard Ikuya come around the counter, he leaned forward and carefully pulled the small pastry box he’d carried with him all day from his bag. “H—oh.” Asahi put the box on his right thigh and then took the cup Ikuya offered. “Thanks.” He sat it down for a moment; picked the box back up. “Here.” He handed it to Ikuya and then turned his attention back to his cup, pretending to be completely disinterested in Ikuya’s reaction as Ikuya opened the box. From the heat he could feel in his face, he knew he was failing. “Akane told me I had mail as soon as it came,” he found himself saying, “But I didn’t go down and get it. I was trying to study, but was more in my head over that box of chocolates I saw you with and who they might be for, and I didn’t even think about the whole homemade thing, and then when I opened yours, I got why you were acting so col—” 

“Asahi.” A light touch to his arm accompanied the quiet call and he glanced over—and forgot how to breathe again when he saw Ikuya’s smile, the light in those pretty eyes. Something must have showed in his own because Ikuya’s blush deepened, and then Asahi thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest as he watched Ikuya lean forward to press a feather-soft kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” Ikuya said as he pulled back. “For explaining, and for the gift.” He looked at the cupcakes again and then, with a laugh, looked back up to Asahi through his lashes. “You know that’s what White Day is for, baka Asahi,” Ikuya teased, “Righ— Asa—” 

Asahi had moved before he was aware of it, hands lightly cupping Ikuya’s cheeks, lips finding Ikuya’s and cutting off the surprised blurt of his name. Asahi’s face was on fire, he could feel it, and he went to pull back as quickly as he’d come in to take it. “Sor—” 

“Baka,” Ikuya muttered into the scant space between them before pressing his lips to Asahi’s again, Ikuya’s fingers finding Asahi’s cheek in turn as Ikuya leaned up to deepen the embrace. Heart racing, Asahi followed his lead, synching his mouth to Ikuya’s. They didn’t linger long, just a few seconds and, as they parted, Asahi couldn’t help but softly laugh for the rush of happiness he felt. “I know what White Day’s for, yeah, but I didn’t want to wait. I couldn’t,” he said softly in answer to Ikuya’s question as he rested his forehead to Ikuya’s, and he lightly brushed his thumbs over Ikuya’s heated cheeks. “I didn’t even want to wait the night.” 

“Why?” 

Warmth crept through Asahi as the breath of the softly spoken word washed over his lips, and he swallowed. “Last time I waited, you went on vacation, I moved away, and it was years before we saw each other again,” he explained, doing his best to keep his gaze on Ikuya’s instead of dropping it to Ikuya’s mouth, though he only half-managed it. 

“Oh.” The light in Ikuya’s eyes shifted and then long lashes fell to shade them; Asahi swallowed again when he felt Ikuya’s breath quicken, watched Ikuya’s head tip slightly to the right as Ikuya leaned in toward his mouth again. Ikuya’s cell went off then, just before their lips met, and Asahi felt Ikuya sigh; Ikuya reached for the phone and, feeling somewhat deflated, Asahi moved back to let him. “It’s Hiyori,” Ikuya explained as he snagged the device, and then he lightly rolled his eyes and softly smirked. “He wants to know if he needs to come back.” 

Asahi’s brow arched and then he snorted. “What, he afraid I’m going to hurt you? I wouldn’t ever, Ikuya,” he continued, suddenly serious. “Ever. Not on purpose, anyway,” he muttered as he thought about how he’d messed things up the day before. 

“Baka Asahi.” Ikuya lowered his phone; leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I know.” He brought his phone back up, then smirked; glanced at Asahi through his lashes. “But you can’t deny you would have done the same.” Asahi huffed since he couldn’t argue, and he was actually glad now that Ikuya had taken the text. Because he knew that, were the situation reversed and _he_ hadn’t heard back from Ikuya, he would have come back anyway. 

“There.” Asahi watched Ikuya mute his phone before he sat it back down, watched him draw his hands back into his lap. “I wondered. Back then, that maybe you liked me,” he explained when Asahi looked at him in question. Asahi felt his face warm, and then get hotter when Ikuya noticed and quietly laughed. Ikuya tipped his head in thought then, and then righted it and smiled. “That’s not exactly right, I guess. I couldn’t figure out why you treated me differently, and it was Nao-san who clued me in.” Ikuya smirked. “He said the things I was telling him reminded him of how Aniki had been until Nao-san got sick of him being an idiot and straightened him out. What?” he asked in amusement after a second or two of watching Asahi’s mouth silently work. 

“…I’m trying to decide which I can’t believe more: that you talked about me to Nao-senpai or that he compared me to your brother.” 

Ikuya softly snorted. “Imagine how I felt back then.”

Asahi chuckled. “The you back then was probably a mix of appalled and confused as hell.” 

Ikuya smiled and nodded. “Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I couldn’t even figure _myself_ out back then. And I definitely didn’t understand how someone like you could like someone like me.”

“Someone like me?” 

“Mm,” Ikuya murmured with a nod. “Fun. Energetic. Warm.” Ikuya smiled a bit himself. “The complete opposite of me. You were like the sun.” 

“And now?” Ikuya’s cheeks colored slightly and, swallowing against the flip in his gut, Asahi touched the closest; Ikuya turned to face him and that flipping sensation settled into a sort of breathless warmth as their eyes met. “Do you have things figured out now?” 

Ikuya nodded, lashes falling slightly as he then tipped his face up. “Mm.” 

“Good,” Asahi murmured as he lowered his head, that warmth spreading through him from that spot in his gut when their lips met. Asahi didn’t hesitate this time. His lips moved slowly over Ikuya’s as he caressed Ikuya’s cheek, and the feel of Ikuya’s skin, of his mouth; Asahi couldn’t get enough of it. His lips moved faster over Ikuya’s as he brushed his fingers back to Ikuya’s ear and then down Ikuya’s neck, Asahi’s stomach flipping and then lightly tightening when he felt the rush of Ikuya’s pulse beneath his fingertips as they made their way to come to a rest at Ikuya’s collarbone. 

Ikuya’s breath caught and, heart pounding in his ears, Asahi went to pull away. A soft, surprised groan slid past his lips when Ikuya stopped him with a light suck to his lower. Asahi’s eyes slitted open. Ikuya’s were still closed, lashes fanning pinked cheeks… he was beautiful, Asahi thought, but then Ikuya’s tongue slipped into his mouth and Asahi _couldn’t_ think anymore. Pleasure pulled another a soft groan from low in his throat and he stroked his tongue over Ikuya’s; Ikuya most have liked it from the sound he made, from how he pushed forward for more, and Asahi‘s hand dropped from Ikuya’s neck to his waist as he eased them back into a lazy sprawl onto Ikuya’s sofa. 

With another light tug to Asahi’s lower lip, Ikuya broke the embrace, and Asahi watched in dazed wonderment as Ikuya laid his head on Asahi’s chest, eyes still closed, a soft smile on his face. Out of all Asahi’s imaginings, and there had been plenty since they’d all been reunited, he’d never envisioned Ikuya as the pursuer. It had always been him reaching out and giving chase like it had been when they’d been boys. Ikuya hadn’t ever said if he’d figured out back then if he’d liked Asahi too, but it didn’t matter. Ikuya knew now—that he wanted Asahi—and having him made Ikuya happy, from the sight of that smile, from how contented Ikuya seemed. _He’d_ done that, not Hiyori or Haru, and as Asahi thought about how Ikuya had compared him to the sun, he swallowed softly and shifted his arms so that he could hold Ikuya tighter, eyes falling shut as he softly stroked through Ikuya’s hair. It moved him, the thought, and then Asahi’s lips curved up slightly and he briefly tipped his head to lightly kiss the top of Ikuya’s. But it made sense. Because Ikuya had always been the one Asahi had wanted to shine for the most.


End file.
